10 January 2012

Happy New Year! I am excited to share with you exciting, new journeys and experiences as 2012 reveals itself to all of us.

With each new year comes changes big and small . . . whether we like it or not! And because change is inevitable, and because we have just entered a new year, I wanted to touch on this subject just a little deeper.
Sometimes we love change, like a new job, a new relationship, or moving to a new city. Sometimes we hate change, especially when it’s not our choice or out of our control. In that case, we’d rather stick with what we know, even though it may no longer apply to our reality.

Either way, change is not always easy, is it? Why is change difficult for most of us? Because change means that we are forced out of our comfort zones, which is why it can be so difficult to embrace.

Here’s a clue: if what you’ve been looking for was where you’ve been looking, you’d have already found it! (Read that sentence one more time, it’s a good one.) Doing more of the same harder and longer is usually not the answer. Willingness to change usually creates better results.

It’s true—in many ways, reality is what we make it. Regardless if change is chosen or forced, one of the first steps to change is changing how you think. What you focus on expands because not only are you thinking it, but then you’re feeling and doing, even if you’re not always aware of it.

In other words, if you think change is going to suck, you’ll feel that, you’ll end up acting like it, then that change will end up exactly as you thought. But if you think, “Something good can actually come out of this,” you’re inviting more favorable results. Adapting to change then becomes easier and less stressful because you’re not focusing on the discomfort of the unpredictable.

This year, when change comes your way (because it will no matter what), treat change as a gift, even when it comes unexpectedly.

Ask yourself, “How can I use this to my benefit?” That doesn’t mean ignoring the jarring effect that change can have on how you feel—like losing a relationship, a loved one, or a job—but also make a choice to not stay stuck in a state of loss.

Darwin is often misquoted when people say only the strongest survive. Not true. It’s not the smartest. It’s those who are most adaptable, quickly adjusting to new situations and circumstances.The idea is to go with the flow and not only accept change, but embrace it as an opportunity to expand yourself and your life.

EXERCISE: Make a list of all the areas in your life where changes need to happen in 2012. Make sure your list not only covers the situations in your life, but also your environment and how you personally need to change. Start implementing those changes now with a Warrior attitude of 100%.